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Will story reading boost my brain function. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

As the new year approaches, I am resolved to read and listen to more stories and that means less of other kinds of content, such as opinion, most social media and even some elements of news. Why would I do this?

I am intrigued by research that narrative has a notable impact on your brain. Some theories deriving from brain scans suggest it can cause greater empathy and tolerance as well as better language and communication skills. It's a promise that social media has offered but, for me, hasn't fulfilled. I often find myself weary more than engaged, more judging than empathizing. Maybe that can change.

I am skeptical when it comes to science, but not cynical. In fact, when legitimate science emerges that inspires possible life changes which have low risk (no crazy diets) and potential rewards, why not try it?

Recent research published in Brain Connectivity, and featured in the Independent today, shows that there are clear brain effects from reading novels, even days after finishing the book. Using fMRI, researchers from Emory University confirmed "that good stories can put you in someone else’s shoes in a figurative sense," say Gregory Berns, who was quoted in the Independent. "Now we’re seeing that something may also be happening biologically.”

A section of the brain, "the left temporal cortex, an area of the brain associated with receptivity for language, as well as the primary sensory motor region of the brain" was measurably "boosted" in subjects who read Pompeii by Robert Harris.

“It remains an open question how long these neural changes might last,” Berns in quoted in Futurity. “But the fact that we’re detecting them over a few days for a randomly assigned novel suggests that your favorite novels could certainly have a bigger and longer-lasting effect on the biology of your brain.”

It's not just one study either. Last year, Annie Murphy Paul pulled together substantial research for The New York Times and concludes with researcher Keith Oatley stating, "Just as computer simulations can help us get to grips with complex problems such as flying a plane or forecasting the weather, so novels, stories and dramas can help us understand the complexities of social life.”

I will read more stories and pay attention to what I've gained or lost. After all, the effect it has on our own lives is what matters. So, why not?